A GIRL and NEPTUNE. 1
It was a warm spring day in Boulder Colorado. Sara and Travis were about to set off on a fun adventure to New Mexico. Sara made sure Travis had at least a months supply of his medications. His delusions were practically non existent now. The only things he continued to experience was communications with the cat and the dreams and visions of freckles. Hell , now she was dreaming about freckles. And freckles was fucking spooky. The mystic , the old man had called her. Oh yeah , now they were sharing the same dreams. These are dreams where she and Travis are the same age back in the 1960s or future ones where they are on mars and both of them are young adolescents. Some are about the old man and miss cat.
Travis used the money he had saved from his checks and what his parents gave him to buy a new truck. It was a nice dark blue with glittering metallic flakes in the paint. It was a cab and half and it would suffice to hold their supplies and even allow them to sleep in it if necessary. It had four wheel drive and deep tread tires that gave it rugged appearance. She loved it. So did he. Later she would drive him crazy begging to drive it once they hit the back county roads. Earlier she had come out and jumped in the driver seat to see if she could see out and touch the pedals. She could but barely. Oh yeah , he was going to have to let her drive this machine. She knew how to elicit compliance from him. She only did it for fun little things , like driving a big bad ass truck out in the middle of no where.
Ever since they began planing this trip Sara had grown more excited with each passing day. Now she was absolutely thrilled. She thought about something and went running into the house. Inside she went to their room and walked over to the dresser. She pulled open the bottom drawer and stuck her hand into it wiggling it around for a few seconds. Suddenly it stopped and clutched an object. She brought it out and examined the shiny metal. She slid a finger across its short length. She pushed a lever back and extended the cylinder and looked at it. Six rounds sat in each slot. Loaded and ready , she tucked it into her waist.
They followed the dirt road. Soon it seemed like the road was gone. Where the hell were they? Sara gazed out the window as the wind whipped her yellow hair around wildly like streaming flames lapping at her face. She loved listening to the sound of crunching stones beneath the tires. The sky was turning a pretty purple in the east. Only a tiny slither of the Sun’s disc hovered at the horizon in the west. As it sank below out of sight Sara saw the long sought green flash. She had always heard about it but never thought she would witness it. She quickly looked over at Travis.
He knew what happened ” I saw it ” he said smiling.
” That was awesome. I can’t wait to see the stars out here away from the city lights.”
” I know. I’ve never been this far out at night where I can see them without light pollution.”
Sara was giddy. She stuck her head out of the window and looked up. ” This is so neat. It has a strange familiar feeling to it like a really weird deju vu.”
Yeah , I feel it too.” He turned his head and glanced around taking in the scenery. He was evaluating just how far out in the middle of nowhere they were. It had been an hour since they went out of town and left the main road.
” I think we can set up camp here.”
” Good ” Sara said.
They set up the tent and were now gathering small sticks and brush to make a fire. There were a few old trees that had sheded numerous dead branches. Beyond them it was a wide open plain that seemed to stretch into the darkly painted sky. The last light of the day now was barely breaking through the overcoming darkness. And with it the few clouds hovering on the horizon were disappearing with it. Stars were now appearing against the silky black shimmering like the zestful face of curious ghost looking in on a secret world of wonder.
As Travis gathered all the wood in a pile and started the fire Sara went to the truck and pulled out the food. She came over with a pack of hotdogs , a can of baked beans and a large block of Colby cheese. In her shirt sleeve was a pack of camel non filter cigarettes. She pulled them out with a disdainful look as she handed them to Travis. She hated that he smoked but he needed them. It was one thing that truly seemed to help with his anxiety. She was slowly reducing the amount he smoked over time.
The flames were lapping at a small grill set up over the pit. Sara started spreading hotdogs over the hot metal bars and then opened the beans and set them down amidst the meat. The hotdogs began simmering almost immediately and Travis stared at them with anticipation. Sara watched him lust for the food and smiled. She was glad to see him act a little more enthusiastic about being alive. When she first met him she could detect the underlying sadness in his spirit. He returned her stare.
“I’m starving. I’m eating at least five or six dogs. How many do you want?”
” I’m eating whatever you don’t.. I got us a surprise desert in the truck so make sure you don’t eat too many dogs and cheese.”
The aroma wafted through the night and filled their senses with pleasure. As Travis stirred the beans Sara started plucking off the dogs. She couldn’t wait to start eating them. They had the signature black streaks left from the metal grate. After a few long minutes everything was ready and divided up and they began their meal like ravenous lions tearing apart its victim. You couldn’t beat hotdogs , beans and cheese. And chocolate strawberry cheese cake.
An hour later they both had their fancy astronomical binoculars out and laid back on the blanket facing the glittering heavens. The stars were just absolutely spectacular.
Travis Smith
DOC #529433
